MCC set to host Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic

-Excellent basketball to be played in the Graham Gymnasium this weekend


(MERIDIAN) – The 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday will showcase high school and junior college basketball at Meridian Community College. Several teams will travel to Meridian to show off their talent in the Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic hosted by MCC on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Teams set to participate include local teams: Northeast Lauderdale High School and Newton High School will bring their boys teams. C.I. Gibson High School, from as far away as Nassau, Bahamas , is scheduled to have their boys team participate. In-state teams New Hope High School, who will bring both their boy’s and girls teams to MCC, and the much traveled Brandon High School girl’s team will also play in the event. MCC’s Lady Eagles will also be in action along with Faulkner State Community College and New Horizon prep team.

The event gets started Friday at 7:30 pm as C.I. Gibson take on New Horizon in a boys game.

Saturday, Newton will play C.I. Gibson in a boys game at 2:00 pm. The MCC Lady Eagles will then host Faulkner State at 4:00 pm.

Monday, the Brandon Lady Bulldogs play New Hope at 2:00 pm while the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans play New Hope at 3:30 pm.

Brandon High School brings their team to Meridian after playing in tournaments in Alabama and Louisiana. Their 13 – 7 record indicates the tough competition they have faced this season. The Lady Bulldogs are a senior laden team led by Mesha Martin, a 5’8” guard. Martin has the combination of shooting the three-point shot and scoring around the basket. Toyneal Brown and Hailey McNair also start as seniors for Brandon.

Northeast Lauderdale boy’s basketball will play in the feature game on Monday at 3:30 against New Hope High School in the Graham Gymnasium. Northeast Lauderdale features the high flying A.J. Wade and the three-point specialist, Brandon Moss, both at guard positions for the Trojans. Northeast Lauderdale is sporting a 15 – 4 record heading into the event.

Newton High School comes to the Rush Extravaganza undefeated with a 17 – 0 record. Newton has already won the East Central High School Tournament this year. While Newton is extremely young with underclassman forwards Dennis Miles and Chris Turner leading the team, senior Cordarion Nichols leads the team from his point guard position.

The team that is travelling the farthest is C. I. Gibson High School out of Nassau, Bahamas. They are flying into Atlanta and driving over to Meridian. Coach Kevin Johnson brings his Wildcats from the Caribbean to Meridian with a 12 – 4 record. The Wildcats are led by Oral Ramming, a 6’6” forward and Romano King, a 6’7” post. William Rigby is the team leader at the point guard position.

Rush Foundation Hospital is the title sponsor this basketball even which features teams from local, in-state, out-of-state and international areas. Both MCC and Rush expect this to become an annual event.


RUSH EXTRAVAGANZA
BASKETBALL CLASSIC SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, JANUARY 14
7:30 C.I. GIBSON (boys) vs. NEW HORIZON
SATURDAY, JANUARY 15
2:00 NEWTON (boys) vs. C.I. GIBSON
4:00 MERIDIAN CC (women) vs. FAULKNER STATE CC
MONDAY, JANUARY 17
2:00 BRANDON (girls) vs. NEW HOPE
3:30 NE LAUDERDALE (boys) vs. NEW HOPE